Inking edges of shoe parts



April 8, 1941. v. F. HARRxNGTON INKING` EDGES oF sHoE PARTS Filed D'c. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l Lnlnll l HJIIIIPINAUMWL April s, 1941.

v. F. HARRlNGToN 2.237.429 INKIIl'G EDGES 0F SHOE PARTS Filed Dec. 5, 19:58 3 sheets-sheet 2 April 8, 1941. v. F. HARRINGTON INKING EDGEs oF s'HoE PARTS Filed Dec. 5

, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Apr- 8 19 l 2,237,429` INKING EDGES F SHOE PARTS Valentine F. Harrington, Newton, Mass., assigner to B. B. Chemical Co., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts l Application December 5, 1938, serial No 243,943

14 Claims.

"This invention relates to a method of and machine for applying ink to the edges of a shoe part. The machine shown herein by Way of iliustration is adapted for applying ink to either the peripheral edges of unassembled shoe-upper parts or the edges of cut-out openings formed therein, the inking actio-n taking place progressively across the part without regard to its contolli.

The application of ink, stain, .,or other coloring or treating material tothe edges of a shoe-upper part and particularly lto the edges of cut-out openings therein is troublesome and in most iactories is carried out by hand, the ink freouently being applied by a pipe cleaner dippedin the coating material. It has been proposed in Letters Patent ofthe United States No. 1,285,903, granted November 26, 1918, on the application of is. J. Bamoni, to apply the ink to the edges by coating the whole of the wrong side of the material, which in a leather part would ordinarily be the flesh side,and allowing the ink to ow around the edges while protecting the opposite, display or grain side from the ink by holding it against a.

eiean surface.

@ne object of the invention is to still further improve the above-described Bazzoni method of wl ng edges to the end that the danger of smooching the display surface of the part is eliminated. k

From one aspect, the improved method resides in protecting the iinished` surface by holding it in ntact with the nap `surface of a piece of snede-leather-like material as ink is applied to the other surface and the edges of the shoe part.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine by which the novel method may be readily carried out.

ii. ieature of the invention is to be found in the provision Voi" a protective piece of suedeieather-like material which is illustrated as supported on a rigid roll and against the velvety or hap surface of which the display side of a piece oi work is held. As herein illustrated and in accor-dance with other features of the invention,

periphery ofthe work piece. p

These and other features of the invention will terial which has been applied thereto beyond the be described in the following speciilcation, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, infwhich Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the supporting and applying rolls on a larger scale; v

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section through the midpart of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a view, much exaggerated, showing the point of contact between the supporting and applying rolls, a piece of work having a cut-out opening being interposed between them;

Fig. 5 is a plan view with upper parts broken away, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a piece of work.

On a supporting base I Il, a frame l2 is provided on which there is carried a receptacle I4 containing coating material I6 (Fig. 3) On this receptacle, bearings are provided for a rigid supporting roll 2U, a resilient and preferably absorbent applying roll 22 of some bibulous material, such as felt, and a pick-uproll 24 which dips in the coating material I6 and delivers it to the applying roll. 'Ihe arrangement is such that pieces of work are presented to the-bite of the rolls 20 and 22 by a carrier belt 26 traveling over supporting rolls 28 and 30 and passing under the roll 2Uiancl over the roll 22. The belt roll 28 is adjustable to tension the belt. This carrier belt is 'reticulated to enable the coating material to pass through its meshes into contact with the back or flesh sur face 32 of a piece of work W (Fig. 4). For the best operation, this carrier belt 26 should be made of perviouasoit-fibered material, one excellent example of which has been found tobe ordinary cheesecloth. Experience has shown that hard-beredfnonabsorbent materials do not permit the passage of ink as readily.

Surrounding a large part of the periphery of the rigid supporting roll 2li is a work protector of velvety material, here shown as an endless belt 34 of suede leather positioned with its rough, fibrous, nap surface outsidefor engagement with the work. As the piece of work is pressed lightly into the nap or pile of this suede belt 34, a complete protection is provided for the finished or grain, surface 36 of the work, which is held smoothly without undue pressure in contact with this suede surface. The reason for this protective action is Anot fully understood. It may result from the absorbentv character of the nap sun face of the suede leather or it may result from the retarding elfect of the forest of opstanding fibers closely adjacent to the edges of the work.

Ink received from the applying roll 22 will pass through the interstces of the carrier belt 26 and beside being applied Vto the whole of the un'- iinished or fresh surface 32, will flow around the edges of each piece of work W, regardless of whether these are peripheral edges 38 or the edges of cut-out openings 40.' At the same time, a considerable quantity of ink will necessarily be applied to the protective suede belt 34, as to those portions which are not covered by a piece of work, and in order that there may not be an undue acncumulation of such ink in this belt, the machine has been provided with a wringer, here shown as coacting rolls 42, 44. 'I'hese rolls are mounted for free rotation in a pair of frame arms 46 interconnected by a web 48 and integral with bearings 50 which are provided for the shaft 52 oftheY supporting (roll 26. These bearings and the bracket arms 46 are slidably mounted upon guide ribs 54 on the upper edges ofthe receptacle I4 and the whole assembly, comprising the supporting roll 20, the suede belt 34, the bracket arms 46 andthe bearings 50, is urged toward the applying roll 22 by springs 56. The springs .'56I are Joined to bolts 60 and the' tension of the springs may be adjusted vby nuts 56 threadedv on the bolts 60 and resting against lugs 62 formed on the outer sides of the receptacle I4. A trough 64 is provided beneath the wringer rolls 42, 44 and coating material removed from the suede belt by the wringer rolls is conducted through a pipe 66 back into the receptacle l I4.

Rotation of the work-engaging rolls 26 and 22 is effected by a sprocket chain 'I6 which is guided over a sprocket on the roll 20 and under a sprocket on the roll 22 and is driven b y a sprocket 12 which derives power through a speed-reducing gearingv I 14 from a power-driven pulley 16. The chain is l also guided around a fixed idler-16 and a springtensioned' idler 6|)v which keeps it tight. The

.sprockets on the rolls 20 and 22 are so designed in the sides of the receptacle I4. These bearingsv Vare then urged upwardly by springs 84, the tension of-which is adjustable by screws 66.

In' the operation of the machine to carry out the novel method, pieces of work W ofany contour are laid on the horizontal run 60 of the pervious or reticulated carrierbelt 26. By this carrier belt, each piece is held with its finished or grain surface 36 firmly in contact with the suede belt 34 where the latter is wrapped around the rigid supporting roll 20; At the bite of the rolls 20 and 22, ink will be squeezed out of the applying roll 22 and applied not only to the whole of the opposit'e `surface 32 of the work but will also be `caused to flow into contact with the peripheral edges 38 or theedges 40 of cut-out openings. This ink, the quantity of which may be accurately controlled by the screws 86, will not be in sulbility of the felt roll 22 and partly by the yielding of the .springs 56.4 It will be realized that in order for this operation to be successful, the ink must not pass around from the -edges 36 and 40 on to 75 the finished surface 36 and to this end, the suede leather of the belt 34 is unusually successful. The pressure between the rolls 20 and 22, effected by the adjustable'springs 56, is relatively light, being a matter of ounces rather than pounds. After the pieces of work leave the bite of the rolls, they pass along a downwardly inclined run 92 of the carrier belt 26 and are picked up by a scraper blade 94 and passed on to a table 96, from which they .may befremoved by the operator.

The ink applied by the roll 22 is to that face 4of the work which is to be concealed in the finished l exposed in the 'finished article. J

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. 'I'he method of applying inkto the edges of a shoe part which consists in pushing `one side of the shoe part into the nap of a piece of suedeiike material, and lapplying sufficient ink'to the otherv side of the shoe partto cause the ink to overflow and coat the exposed edges, the firstmentioned side being protected from the ink by the suede-like material.

2. The method of coating the edges of a sho part whichconsists in holding one surface of the shoe'part in contact with a piece of suede-like material, applying pressure to the opposite sideof the shoe part, and simultaneously applying 'sufficient ink to said opposite side to cause it to overflow the exposed edges of the shoe part.

3. The method of coating the edges of a shoe part-which consists in supporting the part with one surface in contact with a reticulated'carrien holding-a piece` of suede leather with its nap surface in contact with the other surface of the shoe part,'and squeezing ink through the reticulations of the carrier vinto contact with the firstmentioned surface and edges of said part while the other surface' thereof is protected by the suede;

4. In a machine for coating the edges of shoe parts, coacting rolls, a suede-like covering for one of said rolls having the nap projecting outwardlytherefrom, and means for supplying ink to the other roll for transfer to one surface and the adjacent edges of a piece of work, the other surface of which is supported by/the suedecovered roll.

5. In an inking machine for coating the raw edges of a shoe part, a supporting roll, an inkcoated applying roll coacting therewith, a carrier of soft-fibered, pervious material interposed between said rolls, and 'a piece of suede leatherV surrounding the supporting roll with its nap directed outwardly toward the carrier, said applying roll being compressible thereby to squeeze ink on one surface and the edges of the work as a piece of work is passed between the carrier belt andI the suede leather piece while the other surface thereof is protected from the application of ink by the suede leather. y 6. In an inking machine for coating the raw edges of a shoe part, acarrier belt of soft-libered,

pervious material, an absorbent, resilient applying roll positioned at one side. oi said belt, means ior supplying inlr to said roll, a supporting roll coasting with said applying roll and positioned on the other side oi the belt, an endless suede belt surrounding said supporting roll with the loose i'lloers oi the nap of the suede projecting toward the carrier beit1 and means Ior holding said supporting roll and applying roll in close relation such that a piece oi worli; on the carrier belt will distort the applying roll whereby inlr is squeezed through the belt on to one surface and the edges oi the worlr, the other surface being protected by the suede belt.

t. ln an inlring machine having eoacting applying and supporting rolls, an endless belt of suede-litre material surrounding the supporting roll, nap side out, 'ior contact with one surface oi a piece of worlr, the other surface oi which is coated by the applying roll, and means for ren moving surplus mit irom the suede belt.

lin an inlting machine having coacting supporting and inlring rolls, an endless suede belt surrounding the supporting roll, and a wringer ior removing surplus inlr irom the suede belt.

ii. lin an inlring machine, a receptacle, a rigid roll, a suede belt surrounding said rigid roll, a wringer ior removing surplus inlr from the suede belt, means ior conducting said surplus inlr back to the receptacle, an applying roll coacting with the suede-covered rigid roll, and means for supplying inlr from the receptacle to the applying roll.

lil. ln an inlring machine, a carrier belt of reticulated material, means for supporting said belt arranged to provide a substantially horizontal worlr-receiving run, a compressible applying roll, a supporting roll positioned substantially horiaontally opposite to the applying roll and just above one end oi said work-receiving run and around a portion oi which the carrier belt is wrapped as it is guided over the applying roll, and a suede covering ior the supporting roll.

ll. ln an inlring machine, a support, an applying roll, a member mounted :tor adjustment toward and away from the applying roll, a rigid supporting roll rotatable thereon, an endlessbelt surrounding said supporting roll, wringer rolls positioned on said member for removing surplus inlr from the belt, a spring ior moving the member toward the applying roll, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

l2. In an inlring machine, a felt applying roll, means for supplying inl; thereto, a coacting, rigid, supporting roll, the operative portion oi which is surrounded by a piece of suede-like leather with its nap suriace facing the applying roll, a carrier belt oi cheesecloth-lilre material passing between said rolls, and means for tensioning said carrier belt to cause it to hold a piece oi worlr smoothly in contact with the nap surface of the leather around the supporting roll.

i3. lin an inlring machine, a receptacle, applyn ing and supporting rolls positioned above the receptacle and movable relatively, adjustable spring-tension means for causing the approach oi said rolls, an endless carrier belt passed between said rolls and wrapped around a portion of the periphery of each, and means :tor driving said coacting rolls at substantially equal peripherial speeds.

iii. ln a machine for applying inlr to the edges oi a shoe part, means for pushing one side oi the shoe part into the nap oi a piece oi suede-like material, and means for applying sumcient inl; to the other side of the shoe part to cause the init to overflow and coat the exposed edges, the firstmentioned side being protected from the worlt by the suede-lilre material.

VALENTINE F. HARRINGTON. 

